Speeches by Cocking.

“Councils do not go bankrupt overnight. Do you think there are enough early warning systems in place to alert people that if you keep making decisions like this, you may end up in financial difficulty?”

“But do you think those warning signs are good enough? Take peer reviews, for example. Lots of councils that have gone bankrupt or been issued section 114 notices have had really stunning peer reviews— nothing to see here; everything is really good; the council is really good—and then suddenly, within 12 months to two y…”

“How does the Minister plan to make it easier to establish banking hubs in communities that have lost all of their banks? I did have a meeting set up with the previous Minister, but she left Government before that meeting could take place. Will this Minister agree to meet me so that I can discuss the establishment of a …”

“16. What steps she is taking to help protect in-person banking.”

“My constituents in Broxbourne rightly expect new schools and health facilities, particularly GP surgeries, to be in place before any new housing development. What action is the Minister taking to force developers to deliver infrastructure first?”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that, rather than making it easier for large-scale solar and onshore wind applications, the Government should be focusing on “fabric first” and increasing the energy efficiency of our housing stock, thereby reducing energy demand rather than destroying our countryside?”

“Will the Minister give way?”

“The Minister talks about our energy security. What will increase our energy security is issuing new oil and gas licences so that we can have more home-grown energy. Why will the Minister not change his policy on that?”

“So it is a no.”

“I want to follow up on one of those questions, because I got lost in your answer, Minister. Are the Government going to introduce a national oversight mechanism—yes or no?”

“I am Lewis Cocking, MP for Broxbourne, and I am a Hertfordshire county councillor as well.”

“We had someone from the London Fire Brigade here when we looked into Grenfell and he was saying he would welcome a national oversight mechanism for the changes that they have had to make to the fire brigade and he would welcome someone looking at making sure they implement all of the recommendations. What is your view …”

“Fire governance in the UK is quite complicated. You have some areas run by county councils, some by elected mayors, some by police, fire and crime commissioners and some by arm’s length bodies. When we go through this process of devolution, what is the Government’s view of where fire responsibility should sit at a loca…”

“So you are saying that the police part of the inspectorate is taking precedent over the fire inspectorate, because you are saying the reason why that is staying with the current Minister is because she has responsibility for police. I am taking from you that we do not think fire is important enough to have you around t…”

“I want to concentrate on your new role with some aspects of fire safety. Obviously we have got a Minister for Policing, Fire and Crime Prevention and now you are going to take on some responsibility for fire. Can you explain to us what you are doing and what is still left with them?”

“When you say “go to the combined authority”, do you mean the combined authority or the elected mayor?”

“So you will definitely be around the table with that inspectorate and involved as much as you possibly can be?”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Ms Hobhouse. I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as a local councillor. I have just a few comments. The delay in elections for these local authorities was not really a choice for them; it was a mandate from Govern…”

“The area is under Liberal Democrat control now, and they have gone for a massive council tax increase of 7.5%, even though when the Prime Minister launched his local election campaign he said everyone’s council tax would be frozen. I will leave that there. When we talk about the millions of pounds to be saved through l…”

“I fully agree with my hon. Friend.”